Ell nods at the long line. "I'm guessing that's the food line. Which likely means that if we follow it we'll find the food. And from there, the gang."
Sionann follows quietly. She looks to Ell and nods. "I'm willing to follow the line, it's our best bet right now."
“Seems like the place to start,” Rethan agrees.
Mal nods in agreement. "Yes, follow the food to the source and see who is controlling the distribution in here."
Arlanna follows the group towards the gate. “Perhaps if some of us get in the line for food and some of us watch the process from the shadows and follow those who receive food, we might be less ...conspicuous?”
Falser nods and says “Done and Done.” Falser joins the line of people. His clothes and demeanor granting him a bit of fellowship with those already in line.
Arlanna looks at Taliesin. “How are your shadow-lurking skills?”
Looking at Taliesin and his "disguise" Mal merely shakes his head. "I can stay in the shadows and keep watching things if you'd prefer."
“He’s better lurking in the shadows than standing in that line,” Arlanna says. “We should really have several people out of sight. Even seven of us getting into line will be awfully conspicuous.”
Ell bites back a smile. "I'll go into the line-I can be very subtle. I think Taliesin would be better out here then in the line, but that's just my...personal opinion."
Warryn bustles into the line, he seems smaller, but he’s not uncomfortable.
The air around Ell shimmers again, and the emaciated, ragged version of her from before reappears. She sets off...in the opposite direction of the line.
Arlanna rushes after her. “Where are you going?”
Ell turns around. "I'm taking a loop around a building so I don't go straight from the group into the line. Two people exiting a group of adventurers to join the line is already stretching our credibility, this'll decrease suspicion." She turns to take the loop of the building, coming around a few minute later, head down and shuffling as she joins the line.
"I should be fine I'll hide in the shadows with you guys." Taliesin adds.
“I can also remain in the shadows on watch,” Rethan says.
"As will I," Arlanna says.
Several Harpers inconspicuously made their way into the line as it slowly wrapped around the bend of a building into an alleyway. The rest of them blended into the crowds and populace, though Arlanna wasn't quite able to mimic the sunken faces and somber looks of those around her.
Ell listened quietly to the conversations around her. Some talked about recent deaths of friends and family, while others muttered strange sightings and hearing they picked up around the night. One brisk conversation made mention of an "inner quarantine" zone where the disease seemed to be thickest and was sectioned off to everyone.
Falser tried his best to listen, but just beneath his feet he saw a skirmish between red ants and black ants break out and very quickly exited the line so he could watch the fight. When one side seemed to be winning against the other, he'd squash a few of the winning side to even out the odds, as if he was some some master wizard making sure the war between red ants and black ants would never end and spell doom for the rest of the world.
The line continued as Warryn rounded the bend and peered into the alleyway. He saw the line wrap around a doorframe and head into the backside of a building. There, standing by the entrance, a group of half-orcs looked about angrily at the simpletons which came for food. One of them locked eyes with Warryn as a look of recognition dawned on both of their faces. Warryn recognized the half-orc as one of those in the ambush, and it was evident the half-orc recognized Warryn as he immediately turned and began whispering something to one of his half-orc lackeys.
Warryn tries his best to look confused and small, as if the half-orcs are bullies he wants to avoid.
Ell grits her teeth when she sees Falser exit the line. She keeps her head down, hoping one of the members in the shadows can get his attention, or that he'll get past the distraction by himself.
Taliesin, using his practiced magic, makes a soft sharp whistling sound right by Falser's ear so that only he can hear it. Taliesin also notices the group of half-orcs taking interest in Warryn. He leans over to the others in the shadows with him, "Hey guys, those half-orcs are taking interest in Warryn. I think those might've been the ones that kidnapped him. What's our play?". As he says this he'll discreetly point to the group of half-orcs he's talking about.
“I don’t want to lose sight of our goal, but these guys may be the ones that are taking the food anyway. I say we observe what happens and then intervene if necessary,” Arlanna says. “If these are the ones taking the food as well, then we can pursue them. If they mess with Warryn, then it will just accelerate things a bit.”
Sionann listens quietly, keeping herself towards the back of the group. "Let's be wise about walking into this," she whispers as she keeps her eyes down. "We don't know how much they can really hit us with, and I don't want us to end up in the situation that Falser and Warryn had just gotten out of."
One of the other half-orcs glanced back to Warryn before returning to look at the rest of the line's populace. The line continued to slowly move forward into the building as the three half-orcs watched its progress.
"We don't want to play our hand too soon," whispers Mal, in agreement with Arlanna. "We need to be smart here and not just rush in. Watch and wait. Let's see if these three even do anything."
As the line moves forward, Ell spots the half-orcs, recognizing one. She hisses an elvish curse under her breath, thankful for her disguise. She keeps them in the corner of her eye as she shuffles forward.
To all of our readers, I have an important announcement to make! We've decided to move this PbP exclusively to our Discord channel! If you would still like to read the story of the Harpers, please PM me here with your Discord information set up and I'll send you an invite so you can participate.
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Ell nods at the long line. "I'm guessing that's the food line. Which likely means that if we follow it we'll find the food. And from there, the gang."
Sionann follows quietly. She looks to Ell and nods. "I'm willing to follow the line, it's our best bet right now."
“Seems like the place to start,” Rethan agrees.
Mal nods in agreement. "Yes, follow the food to the source and see who is controlling the distribution in here."
Arlanna follows the group towards the gate. “Perhaps if some of us get in the line for food and some of us watch the process from the shadows and follow those who receive food, we might be less ...conspicuous?”
Falser nods and says “Done and Done.” Falser joins the line of people. His clothes and demeanor granting him a bit of fellowship with those already in line.
Arlanna looks at Taliesin. “How are your shadow-lurking skills?”
Looking at Taliesin and his "disguise" Mal merely shakes his head. "I can stay in the shadows and keep watching things if you'd prefer."
“He’s better lurking in the shadows than standing in that line,” Arlanna says. “We should really have several people out of sight. Even seven of us getting into line will be awfully conspicuous.”
Ell bites back a smile. "I'll go into the line-I can be very subtle. I think Taliesin would be better out here then in the line, but that's just my...personal opinion."
Warryn bustles into the line, he seems smaller, but he’s not uncomfortable.
The air around Ell shimmers again, and the emaciated, ragged version of her from before reappears. She sets off...in the opposite direction of the line.
Arlanna rushes after her. “Where are you going?”
Ell turns around. "I'm taking a loop around a building so I don't go straight from the group into the line. Two people exiting a group of adventurers to join the line is already stretching our credibility, this'll decrease suspicion." She turns to take the loop of the building, coming around a few minute later, head down and shuffling as she joins the line.
"I should be fine I'll hide in the shadows with you guys." Taliesin adds.
“I can also remain in the shadows on watch,” Rethan says.
"As will I," Arlanna says.
Several Harpers inconspicuously made their way into the line as it slowly wrapped around the bend of a building into an alleyway. The rest of them blended into the crowds and populace, though Arlanna wasn't quite able to mimic the sunken faces and somber looks of those around her.
Ell listened quietly to the conversations around her. Some talked about recent deaths of friends and family, while others muttered strange sightings and hearing they picked up around the night. One brisk conversation made mention of an "inner quarantine" zone where the disease seemed to be thickest and was sectioned off to everyone.
Falser tried his best to listen, but just beneath his feet he saw a skirmish between red ants and black ants break out and very quickly exited the line so he could watch the fight. When one side seemed to be winning against the other, he'd squash a few of the winning side to even out the odds, as if he was some some master wizard making sure the war between red ants and black ants would never end and spell doom for the rest of the world.
The line continued as Warryn rounded the bend and peered into the alleyway. He saw the line wrap around a doorframe and head into the backside of a building. There, standing by the entrance, a group of half-orcs looked about angrily at the simpletons which came for food. One of them locked eyes with Warryn as a look of recognition dawned on both of their faces. Warryn recognized the half-orc as one of those in the ambush, and it was evident the half-orc recognized Warryn as he immediately turned and began whispering something to one of his half-orc lackeys.
Warryn tries his best to look confused and small, as if the half-orcs are bullies he wants to avoid.
Ell grits her teeth when she sees Falser exit the line. She keeps her head down, hoping one of the members in the shadows can get his attention, or that he'll get past the distraction by himself.
Taliesin, using his practiced magic, makes a soft sharp whistling sound right by Falser's ear so that only he can hear it. Taliesin also notices the group of half-orcs taking interest in Warryn. He leans over to the others in the shadows with him, "Hey guys, those half-orcs are taking interest in Warryn. I think those might've been the ones that kidnapped him. What's our play?". As he says this he'll discreetly point to the group of half-orcs he's talking about.
“I don’t want to lose sight of our goal, but these guys may be the ones that are taking the food anyway. I say we observe what happens and then intervene if necessary,” Arlanna says. “If these are the ones taking the food as well, then we can pursue them. If they mess with Warryn, then it will just accelerate things a bit.”
Sionann listens quietly, keeping herself towards the back of the group. "Let's be wise about walking into this," she whispers as she keeps her eyes down. "We don't know how much they can really hit us with, and I don't want us to end up in the situation that Falser and Warryn had just gotten out of."
One of the other half-orcs glanced back to Warryn before returning to look at the rest of the line's populace. The line continued to slowly move forward into the building as the three half-orcs watched its progress.
"We don't want to play our hand too soon," whispers Mal, in agreement with Arlanna. "We need to be smart here and not just rush in. Watch and wait. Let's see if these three even do anything."
As the line moves forward, Ell spots the half-orcs, recognizing one. She hisses an elvish curse under her breath, thankful for her disguise. She keeps them in the corner of her eye as she shuffles forward.
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
To all of our readers, I have an important announcement to make! We've decided to move this PbP exclusively to our Discord channel! If you would still like to read the story of the Harpers, please PM me here with your Discord information set up and I'll send you an invite so you can participate.